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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228050">we'll meet again, won't we?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitway/pseuds/Bitway'>Bitway</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>AUgust 2020 Writing Challenge [31]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cardfight!! Vanguard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Hospital, M/M, Unexplained Illness, angsty, enishi's hospital friend is here</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:54:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,553</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitway/pseuds/Bitway</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Satoru meets another kid at the hospital.</p><p>AUgust Day 31 - Any two AUs combined - Childhood Friends &amp; Hospital</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anjou Mamoru/Enishi Satoru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>AUgust 2020 Writing Challenge [31]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>AUgust 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>we'll meet again, won't we?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>SO I do have a longer version of this that I was trying to work with. It involved Mamoru getting along with Enishi and Tsuki (Enishi's unnamed friend who I had to name) and just...more interactions in general. I leave this for y'all for the time being.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Satoru's hands wrap around his cards. He turns to the door beside him, watching and waiting for a sign that would never come. He holds back a sigh, knowing he shouldn't bother her. She needed time to recover. The doctors said she would in a few days. He really hoped they were telling the truth.</p><p>The boy sighs and leans his head back against the wall. There was only so much to do in the hospital and with his only friend taken to urgent care, his options were slim.</p><p>He pushes himself off the wall and decides to go back to his room. He could look at his deck for the hundredth time and try to think of a new strategy to use against Tsuki.</p><p>Lost in his thoughts, he almost bumps into a couple of nurses taking their leave from one room. Satoru notices they left the door open and as he's about to pass it, he peers inside.</p><p>This room was like his. One bed for the patient; a young boy with green hair. His head is turned away, looking out the window. One leg was propped up on some pillows and kept in a white cast.</p><p>When was the last time he'd seen another kid in the hospital? Most that he had seen were usually visitors. Too healthy and happy and able to leave with their guardians.</p><p>"Hello there."</p><p>Satoru blinks as he hears the kid speak. He hadn't registered when the boy had turned to look his way.</p><p>"Hello," he responds.</p><p>"You can come inside if you want," he replies. "Are you a patient here too?"</p><p>Satoru hesitates before taking a step inside. He would have liked to turn away and go back to his room, but it was too late. He'd been caught.</p><p>"I am."</p><p>He walks to the side of the bed. Now he notices the generic get well soon cards, a couple of balloons that had been hidden from his view at the door, and a teddy bear that was placed on the other side of his bed.</p><p>"You're new here," he blurts out.</p><p>"You can tell?" Mamoru chuckles. "You know, I didn't think there were any other kids here. I thought I'd be sharing a room with someone my age, but I guess I was wrong…"</p><p>Satoru glances to his leg. Maybe it had to do with his injury, maybe not. It looked like they could fit in another bed in here if they wanted to, though. But he doubts there would be another kid that got sent here.</p><p>"Oh, hey! You play vanguard too?" The boy asks.</p><p>He raises the deck that was still in his hands.</p><p>"Yeah. I play, but I don't know how good I am."</p><p>"Well, why don't we find out? Although…I don't have my cards on me at the moment. But I can ask my parents to bring them over the next time they visit. And we can play together, if you like."</p><p>"Are you sure you want to play with me?"</p><p>"Of course I'm sure. We can practice together." The boy smiles. It gives off a strange, welcoming warmth. It's like he can't say no to him now.</p><p>He didn't want to play with him. Kind of. Sorta. He'd rather just stick to playing with Tsuki. She was all he needed. But…</p><p>Wouldn't it be nice to make a new friend?</p><p>"Okay. I'll play with you."</p><p>"Thanks! It'll be fun…oh, I forgot to ask your name. Mine is Mamoru Anjou."</p><p>"I'm Satoru Enishi."</p><p>~…~</p><p>"You really seem happier lately," Tsuki hums. She focuses her gaze on the cards set across the table. A hand reaches out for a unit before being pulled back.</p><p>"I do?" Satoru tilts his head, eyes on her. He couldn't see himself being happier, as she said. Sure he was happy at the moment, being able to spend time with her was always fun…but what was so different for her to call it out?</p><p>"You've been having out with that boy a lot, haven't you?"</p><p>Suddenly, he feels his cheeks begin to warm. That was…normal, wasn't it?</p><p>"I keep him company and he plays Vanguard with me," he responds. He keeps his eyes on her cards. "You should go meet him."</p><p>"Hmm…maybe! Once I can leave the room, I think I will." She pauses. Her hand is pressed over a unit. Slowly, she picks it up and looks as if she was reading its text. "Satoru?"</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>"Have you…told him yet?"</p><p>Told him what, he almost asks. But he already knew the answer.</p><p>He shakes his head. "No…"</p><p>Satoru had tried to, but there was no way he could bring it up so suddenly. Every time he tried to mention it, the words would get stuck in his throat. He'd try to find something else to talk about, ask Mamoru a question about himself instead. He just couldn't tell him about his illness, how he could die any day, any second. The last thing he wanted to see was Mamoru's reaction upon hearing that.</p><p>~…~</p><p>Satoru sits beside Mamoru's bed. He watches as the older boy can bend his knee. He doesn't move it a lot, not like he expects, just enough to show that his leg was better than when he first got here.</p><p>"You know," he starts and grabs Satoru's attention. "The doctors say I'm healing up pretty quickly. I might even be able to leave earlier than expected."</p><p>Satoru freezes.</p><p>"Leave…where?"</p><p>It's a stupid question, even he's not sure why he asked it.</p><p>"From the hospital."</p><p>"Oh…"</p><p>It was inevitable; he knew that. Ever since they met, Satoru knew that Mamoru was not bound to the hospital like he was. Sometimes he liked to be selfish and imagine that he would stay longer. That the bone needed more time to heal, or he had accidentally applied too much pressure on it. It was mean and cruel, but he wanted him to stay.</p><p>And now…this was happening. Mamoru was going to leave. A pain strikes at his chest, different from the ones that leave him gasping for air, but it still hurts nonetheless.</p><p>"Will you be able to leave soon, Satoru?" Mamoru asks.</p><p>No. He mentally replies. He couldn't tell him that there was no hope for him. He might wind up dead in a day or two. It was an unsettling fact, but one that he was used to.</p><p>"I…might have to stay a little longer."</p><p>"But when you're released, we can meet up. You can come to the card shop I go to and meet all sorts of card fighters."</p><p>The words are getting stuck in his throat again, and his chest feels tight. He should tell him not to get his hopes up. That they might never meet again once he leaves.</p><p>"I'd like that...to keep playing with you, Mamoru."</p><p>Satoru forces a smile and has to excuse himself from his room. He was starting to feel light-headed, his body heavy. He isn't even sure if he makes it to his room before everything goes dark.</p><p>~…~</p><p>Cards drop to the ground, falling everywhere at his feet. He stands at the door to Mamoru's room and just stares. It was empty. Not a soul in sight. No smile to greet him when he entered. No voice to lift his spirits.</p><p>Mamoru was gone.</p><p>
  <em>'Why didn't he…?'</em>
</p><p>His mind goes back to when they last spoke. Mamoru told him he was leaving soon. He never said when and didn't know how long that soon really was. Days merged together at the hospital, especially when he needed to go to urgent care. He'd sleep for most hours of the day, barely conscious of the world around him. Now that he was back and certain he was alive, for the most part, the first thing he did was make his way here.</p><p>Satoru ignores that pain in his chest again. He turns his head to the ground and picks up his cards one by one. It was odd. He never felt like crying before, but now he could feel the tears pricking at his eyes. It's not like Mamoru was gone forever, though he doubts he would return. But the thought of not being able to see and play with him again stung.</p><p>"Satoru? Is that you?"</p><p>As he finishes gathering up his cards, he looks up to find a nurse. He'd seen her check in on Mamoru from time to time. He nods to her response.</p><p>She pauses and puts her hand into a pocket. She grabs something and holds it out to him. A folded piece of paper.</p><p>"The boy that was here, Mamoru, he wanted you to have this."</p><p>"Thank you…" He says as he takes it in his hand.</p><p>The nurse gives him a smile before continuing on her way. Satoru watches her go before looking at the paper in his hand. He considers not opening it, but finds his hands moving already.</p><p>Inside the paper is a card. Scharhot Vampir. And a note scribbled on the paper.</p><p>
  <em>'I'll be waiting for you, Satoru.'</em>
</p><p>Mamoru was a silly and hopefully optimistic boy. He was really holding onto a dream that may never come true.</p><p>And he made Satoru share that dream, too.</p>
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